[Let's Play] Legendary Kingdoms: The Valley of Bones

[angelfromanotherpin]

Two of our gamebook runners have fallen ill. Another steps forward to hold the line.

• Lone Wolf is a legendary series, and available for free online, but maybe you somehow still haven't played it yet, or would like to revisit it in the company of friends. I'd do the first twelve books, which form a really coherent and satisfying narrative.
• Legendary Kingdoms is a party-based open-world gamebook series very much in the mold of the Fabled Lands series, but with less old-school sensibilities. Only the first two books are out as yet.
• Black Vein Prophecy is a particularly infuriating FF book, because it includes many good ideas but also some very bad ones. This makes it worth examining for both inspirational and cautionary purposes. It represents the lowest-investment option I'm putting on the table.
• I will take requests.

[Queen of Swords]

I always wanted to play Curse of the Mummy, though that's a meatgrinder.

[JourneymanN00b]

My vote will be Sky Lord. I was going to host that one next, but covid and my inability to get sections 31-35 of that book has prevented me from running it.

[SGamerz]

Honestly, I'm fine with all 3, but Legendary Kingdoms is the one I've never played or heard of, so I voted for that. But go for any of the others in the event of a tie, since I think they're all interesting.

(Incidentally, I don't know how familiar Journeyman is with the Lone Wolf books, but considering his love of the anti-fascist way, I'd think this series should be right up his alley. )

V'q nyfb or vagrerfgrq va ubj lbh vagraq gb qrny jvgu gur "lbh zhfg snvy n fgng grfg gb jva" zrpunavfz sbe Oynpx Irva Cebcurpl. V'z qba'g guvax vg'f rira n oht, fvapr vg frrzf gb or pbzcyrgryl vagragvbany ba gur nhgube'f cneg. Ohg vg'f fgvyy n oybbql hasnve zrpunavfz.

[JourneymanN00b]

(Incidentally, I don't know how familiar Journeyman is with the Lone Wolf books, but considering his love of the anti-fascist way, I'd think this series should be right up his alley. )

V'q nyfb or vagrerfgrq va ubj lbh vagraq gb qrny jvgu gur "lbh zhfg snvy n fgng grfg gb jva" zrpunavfz sbe Oynpx Irva Cebcurpl. V'z qba'g guvax vg'f rira n oht, fvapr vg frrzf gb or pbzcyrgryl vagragvbany ba gur nhgube'f cneg. Ohg vg'f fgvyy n oybbql hasnve zrpunavfz.

Oh, I have already played that series to death ever since I picked up the first Lone Wolf book in 2015. Because of that, I will not vote for that series in order to broaden my gamebook experience.

Nf fbzrbar gung unf pbafvqrerq ehaavat Oynpx Irva Cebcurpl va gur cnfg, V cynaarq gb qrny jvgu gung fant (juvpu jnf qrfvtarq nf na nagv-purngvat tvzzvpx) ol bssrevat nygreangr jnlf gb trg gur arrqrq fcryyf/gevttref gung gur zhygvpbyberq fpnyrf jbhyq abeznyyl tvir guebhtu "zrzbel synfuonpxf". Vg jvyy or vagrerfgvat gb frr jung jbexnebhaq jbhyq bpphe vs gur ureb qvq abg snvy gur svefg yhpx grfg.

[SGamerz]

Nf fbzrbar gung unf pbafvqrerq ehaavat Oynpx Irva Cebcurpl va gur cnfg, V cynaarq gb qrny jvgu gung fant (juvpu jnf qrfvtarq nf na nagv-purngvat tvzzvpx) ol bssrevat nygreangr jnlf gb trg gur arrqrq fcryyf/gevttref gung gur zhygvpbyberq fpnyrf jbhyq abeznyyl tvir guebhtu "zrzbel synfuonpxf". Vg jvyy or vagrerfgvat gb frr jung jbexnebhaq jbhyq bpphe vs gur ureb qvq abg snvy gur svefg yhpx grfg.

Vg jbhyq unir znqr sbe n orggre qrivpr vs vg unq bppheerq arne gur raq bs gur obbx vafgrnq, be fbzrjurer va gur zvqqyr ng yrnfg. Gb chyy gung fpugvpx ng gur irel ortvaavat zrnaf gung gur cynlre unf n yrff guna 50% punapr bs jvaavat evtug bss gur ong rira vs ur ebyyf n ybj Vavgvny YHPX, juvpu whfg znxrf vg na haarprffnevyl hasnve gevny.

[Beroli]

Naq vg'f abg yvxr univat ybj Yhpx jvyy freir lbh jryy naljurer ryfr va gur obbx, vapyhqvat gurer orvat, "Snvy gur grfg, qvr" frpgvbaf.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Well, despite a lot of lightly-encrypted discussion regarding a book no-one voted for, the winner appears to be Legendary Kingdoms. And it starts in the Valley of Bones.

The first step is choosing your party of four from the six starting characters. The book promises that these pregenerated characters have histories that are integrated with the world, which is the best reason to have pregens. There are rules to build your own characters, but they don't access the specific content that the pregens can.



Sar Jessica Dayne is a first-born knight of Royce. Her father, Baron Baldwin Dayne, is an ambitious contender for the rulership of Longport Bay, an important county. She is a powerful warrior, of impeccable noble blood, but she has received little love or affection since the death of her mother when Jessica was a girl. She is due to inherit the barony in preference to her younger brother, Ridley, but has clashed with her father in recent years, putting her inheritance in doubt. Sar Jessica hopes to become a rich and important woman in her own right before confronting her father at Fosterly Castle.



Lord Ti'quon is a classically trained sorcerer from Drakehallow. Thanks to his family’s wealth he has been able to learn his craft in the halls of Animus Mast, the premier academy for mages in the world. His knowledge is vast, learnt from library stacks and obscure scrolls, and his ambition is as great as his knowledge. Though at the beginning of his journey in the arts of magic, Ti’Quon shows great promise. He is handicapped, somewhat, by a lack of empathy, although his rich and regal voice make up for his curtness. If he can find additional sums for more tutelage, he desires to return to Animus Mast to unlock yet greater secrets of sorcery.



Tasha is a buccaneer from the Splintered Isles and is little more than an outright thief. She is born to the sails, and her family have lived on ships and in coastal taverns for generations. Tasha has stolen and squandered great fortunes in her time. Her extravagance and her love of a pretty face has meant she has seldom held onto money for long. Most recently she was ripped off by her lover, Katherine of Middenmarch, a country girl who was apprenticed to Tasha, before betraying her mistress and selling her off to slavers. Getting even with the bumptious pirate is foremost in Tasha’s mind.



Amelia Pass-Dayne is the half-sister of Jessica and grew up with her in Fosterly Castle. Her mother was a forester who took Amelia away from the castle when it became obvious that Baron Baldwin, her father, would take no interest in the girl. Since maturity Amelia has lived in the wild forests of the Savage Lands, learning earth magic from the druids of that isolated place. Though slender, she has become a rugged survivor, who can live off the land and fight off wild beasts. Her magic is instinctive, and much mocked by more scholarly wizards, but it is no less potent for all that. Amelia dreams of becoming a full-circle druid, but knows that she must learn much before returning home to the Savage Lands.



Akihiro of Chalice is a brooding young man from the Valley of Bones, who was banished from his city when he failed in his training to become a Kensai, a sword-saint of Chalice. A superb swordsman, Akihiro is his own worst enemy. He tortures himself over his failure to balance his mind and body. Since that time Akihiro has become an adept survivor, able to find water in the driest desert, and food in an empty wilderness. Though he tells himself he has given up, he longs in his heart to return to Chalice to attempt the tests again. Perhaps it is time for Akihiro to emerge from the wilderness and restore his own and his family’s honour?



Brash was born in Royce, in the duchy of Pendrilor. He was a pot washer in Vasthall, the stately home of Duchess Elenor Mauntell, but unwisely engaged in a love triangle with her and King Frances Goldwell. Fleeing before he could be hung, Brash has since lived on his wits, travelling the world to escape the King’s agents. He can talk his way out of almost anything, and his ability to escape danger is second-to-none. One day, Brash will need to sort out the mess he left behind in Vasthall, but not until he has gained a little worldly experience.

Name	Fighting	Survival	Stealth	Charisma	Lore	Health	Caster?
Sar Jessica Dayne	5	2	1	4	3	8	x
Lord Ti'quon	1	1	2	2	5	6	√
Tasha	3	3	5	3	1	8	x
Amelia Pass-Dayne	3	3	2	1	2	6	√
Akihiro of Chalice	4	5	3	1	2	8	x
Brash	2	1	4	5	2	8	x

For group checks, e.g. when the entire party is sneaking past something, generally the two best characters are used, so party members with weaknesses can be covered for by other members.

Spells
Characters who can cast spells are called spellcasters. Spellcasters store their spells in spell books, but can only know a maximum of six spells at any given time. When you begin the game, each of your spellcasters can start with three spells, chosen from the starting spells section, which you’ll find at the end of the rules section, just before reference 1.

There are a number of different types of spell:
Adventure spells can be cast at any time except in combat. These spells help you overcome hazards, beat skill checks, or find secret areas.
Combat spells can only be cast in personal combat. They usually harm or hinder your opponents, or provide you with a useful bonus in combat.
Mass Combat spells are rare, and can only be used when armies clash against each other.
Sea Combat spells are also rare, and are used exclusively during ship to ship combat.
Some spells cover more than one area. A spell that is described as Adventure/Combat can be used both in combat and while adventuring.

Charging and Draining Spells
When you first discover or learn a spell it starts charged. Charged spells are ready to be cast when the spellcaster wishes. As soon as you cast a spell, it becomes drained and cannot be cast again until you recharge it. Every spell has a recharge cost in its description, which covers the price of the special components you will
need to cast it. You can recharge a spell when resting at most inns, and might find some places where you can recharge a spell for free! The text will tell you when you can recharge a spell. It can get expensive to cast spells all the time, so only use them when it’s urgent.

Discovering New Spells
Spells can crop up in the strangest of places, so keep an eye out for any opportunity to learn new ones. You can hold a maximum of six spells in your spell book
at any given time. If your spell book is full and you discover a new spell you really want, you can rub out an old spell to make room for a new one. All new
spells you learn begin charged. You cannot learn the same spell more than once in your spell book. Your starting spellcaster cannot, for example, learn three Ice Bolt spells!

Spell List for Starting Characters
Animal Speech (Adventure): You are able to communicate using the secret language of animals. Recharge: 50 silver
Armor of Heaven (Combat): Gain a +3 bonus to one party member's Armor which lasts until the end of this battle. Recharge: 50 silver
Ice Bolt (Combat): You conjure a great block of ice and hurl it at your foe with magical strength. Make an immediate attack with a fighting score of 8 against any opponent. Recharge: 50 silver
Poison Stream (Combat): A sickly green poison jets from your hands. Make two immediate attacks with a fighting score of 5 against two different opponents. Recharge: 50 silver
Unfailing Strike (Combat): A pillar of energy sizzles into a single foe. Choose an opponent to lose 3 health. Recharge: 50 silver
Wolf Spirit (Adventure): You summon the spirit of the wolf to help guide you from danger in the natural world. Cast this spell when you fail a survival check. You gain an additional 3 successes for this check only. Recharge: 75 silver
Magic Cabinet (Adventure): You summon a magic cabinet made of purple wood. You can use this cabinet to access The Vault, storing and/or taking out as many items as you wish. When you have done this, the cabinet will vanish until summoned again. Recharge: 100 silver

Okay, I think that's enough to begin with. Please give me your choices for party members and starting spells in ranked-choice format. (1st choice: Brash, 2nd choice: Ti'quon, etc.)

[Beroli]

Our party consists of how many characters?

Ranking all the choices from top to bottom:

Amelia Pass-Dayne
Sar Jessica Dayne
Brash
Tasha
Akihiro of Chalice
Lord Ti'quon

Spells:
Animal Speech
Ice Bolt
Unfailing Strike
Magic Cabinet
Wolf Spirit
Poison Stream

[SGamerz]

Our party consists of how many characters?

The first step is choosing your party of four

As to my choice...I'm kind of torn between my interest in story development and overall party competence. From a story point of view, I want the 2 sisters both in the party, and I also favour Brash's character. But Ti'quon brings competency in Lore that isn't covered by anyone else in the party, and I don't think we need more than 1 caster.

Voting by stat-efficiency, I think the best party combination is Jessica, Ti'quon, Tasha and Akihiro. This means every stat is covered by at least 2 characters of above-average competency (fighting: Jessica and Akihiro; survival: Akihiro and Tasha; stealth: Tasha & Akihiro; charisma: Jessica and Tasha; lore: Jessica and Ti'quon.

EDIT:

1. Sar Jessica Dayne
2. Lord Ti’quon
3. Tasha
4. Akihiro of Chalice
5. Amelia Pass-Dayne
6. Brash

For spells, I want Magic Cabinet (1st choice) and Animal Speech (2nd choice). No particular favourite for 3rd.

[JourneymanN00b]

Party member choices:
1. Lord Ti’quon
2. Brash
3. Tasha
4. Akihiro of Chalice
5. Sar Jessica Dayne
6. Amelia Pass-Dayne

Starting spell choices:
1. Animal Speech
2. Unfailing Strike
3. Wolf Spirit
4. Ice Bolt
5. Poison Stream
6. Magic Cabinet

[Thaluikhain]

Hmmm, the backstories for the sisters and for Akhiro seem nice, and I would like Tasha except for her being a criminal. But for stats, I second SGamerz idea of Jessica, Ti'quon, Tasha and Akihiro.

[angelfromanotherpin]

The RCV resolution system has spat out: Sar Jessica Dayne, Lord Ti'quon, Tasha, and Amelia Pass-Dayne. The disagreement on which caster to pick has put in both of them. At it stands, all six spells will be chosen. For reasons of flavor, I'm going to give Amelia: Animal Speech, Poison Stream, and Wolf Spirit, while Ti'quon will get Ice Bolt, Magic Cabinet, and Unfailing Strike.

If there is a unanimous decision from the players to swap out one of the casters for Akihiro or Brash, I will honor it. The remaining caster will know the top 3 ranked spells: Animal Speech, Magic Cabinet, Unfailing Strike. Otherwise, our adventure will begin at this time tomorrow, at section 1.

[Beroli]

I would be willing to trade out Lord Ti'quon for either of them, but not Amelia, so I suspect we're sticking with those four, which should be interesting.

[JourneymanN00b]

I am open to swapping out Amelia for Brash or Akihiro (in that order of preference). I vote to have Lord Ti'quon stay in the party.

[SGamerz]

Well, looks like there's no unanimous decision since we already have a direct clash above, so we'll be stuck with this party. My main argument against Amelia is that she isn't great at anything and sucks at more than half of her stats, but maybe having 2 casters and the potential versatility of having up to 12 different spell can make up for that. (And hopefully the storyline potential of having the sisters on the team can make it worthwhile.)

[angelfromanotherpin]

I would guess that you're most going to miss Akihiro, with his survival skills and being native to the region. In any case...

1

You stir into consciousness. Heat and blazing sunlight... the slow rumble of a wagon... heavy chains upon your limbs. You groan, your mouth dry, your stomach empty. As your eyes focus you can see your companions, fellow survivors of the brutal pirate attack, crushed together with you upon the floor of a rolling wagon. You remember little since then, except vowing to your newfound friends that you would stick together, come what may. You are relieved to see that they are still alive, but where are you?
     Gazing through the bars of the wagon, your eyes focus on a blazing yellow-grey desert. To your left, filling the sky, are the Stonewalls – a massive and impenetrable mountain range that divides the barbarian kingdoms of the south from the antique and mysterious lands of Drakehallow. But which side of the range are you? The answer becomes immediately apparent as you look beyond the smelly dragonyaks which are ponderously hauling your cage. A vast, crumbling city of minarets and run-down adobe buildings fills your view. The sting in the air and on your lips tells you all you need to know. This is Saltdad, cruel throne of the tyrant Iron King, one of half a dozen tin-pot dictators in the barbaric Valley of Bones. You are far from civilised lands here…
     Thin-faced slavers with spears rattle the sides of your cage, barking at you to get down. You slump on your hindquarters. For the moment there is nothing you can do with you and your companions in chains. You swear you will regain your freedom and start your lives anew. But first, you must survive the horrors of slavery.
     Turn to 631.

631

The slavers have sold you to the dreaded Saltdad Arena, a grim place where the poor and criminals alike fight to the death for the savage entertainment of the crowd.
     • If you have the code A1, turn to 592.
     • If you have the code C17, turn to 582.
     If not, read on.
     • If this is the first time you have been sold to Saltdad Arena, turn to 271.
     • If you have fought in the arena before, turn to 582.

271

The Saltdad Arena is the second largest complex in the city, with only the ancient palace looming larger. Its dungeons go deep into the earth, where prisoners, slaves and monstrous animals are kept in large vaults, with only the feeblest light pouring through barred arches set high in the ceilings.
     Your quarters are a large and ancient hall, whose walls bear the sigils and faded murals of a more civilised age. Within this chamber are crammed nearly a hundred hungry captives, sleeping rough upon the gravel floor and relieving themselves in stinking buckets stacked in a far corner. You ask about feeding arrangements from one of your fellow prisoners, who give you hollow looks. “You’ll know it when it happens,” he warns.
     Suddenly a hatch at the top of the hall is swung open, and the barely-cooked carcass of a mountain goat is dropped carelessly into the middle of the hall. There is a great crush as the prisoners surge as one to tear off strips of flesh from the animal. A group of strong men from Lhasbreath, slaves like you, batter the crowd away with threats, claiming first rights over the animal. You are starving.
     • Challenge the men to first rights over the meat (turn to 212)?
     • Attempt to side with the men, to ensure you get something (turn to 282)?
     • Wait your turn to get something to eat (turn to 118)?

Name	Fighting	Survival	Stealth	Charisma	Lore	Health	Caster?
Sar Jessica Dayne	5	2	1	4	3	8/8	x
Lord Ti'quon	1	1	2	2	5	6/6	√
Tasha	3	3	5	3	1	8/8	x
Amelia Pass-Dayne	3	3	2	1	2	6/6	√

[SGamerz]

I just noticed that the 1 spell that nobody voted for is also the 1 spell that wasn't bolded in the post (Armor of Heaven). I don't mind, since I didn't have a preference besides the 2 spells I voted for, but I wonder if the others might have missed that spell because of it...

***

It would help if we know how many opponents we're potentially facing if we challenge the men. But I vote to challenge anyway. Bullying will only get worse if we show weakness.

[Beroli]

Challenge.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to challenge the men to first rights over the meat, as fascists like them need to be eliminated before they become an unstoppable threat to our heroes.

[angelfromanotherpin]

212

Puffing yourselves up, you and your companions put on a brave show before the slaves, shoving them hard and roaring bold threats. This will require a good deal of bravery and force.
     Threaten greedy slaves (Team check)
     Skill and DC: Fighting(4+)
     Successes Required: 4
     • If you succeed, turn to 526.
     • If you fail, turn to 572.

Skill checks are dice pool-based, roll a number of dice based on the skill involved, count up how many dice meet the Difficulty Class, and see if you have enough (sigh) successes to succeed. Skill checks can be individual (use a single character's skill rating) or team (use the sum of exactly two characters' skills).

In this case, we'll pick Jessica (obvs) and either Tasha or Amelia, makes no difference. 8d6 vs 4+: 2,4,1,5,3,5,3,4] = 4!

526

Your physical strength and martial technique intimidate the slaves, who grumble and back down, allowing you to rip the choicest and best-cooked flesh off the goat first. One of the slaves, a fellow called Tommul, mutters dark warnings about revenge. Snarling at him, you retreat to a corner to finish your food.
     Gain the code A2 and turn to 865.

865

You are almost relieved when the cruel overseers of the arena call you out of the filthy living hall for your first battle. You are fed water by children wearing neck chains in a narrow, dusty chamber, who present it to you in deep bowls from which you are expected to slurp. One of the children, a pretty blonde girl called Milagros, quietly advises you to keep to the edge of the arena and not to engage in the central melee.

     “Don’t use magic,” she hisses. “They’ll take your tongue...”
     Guards push you on before you can question her further. You are unchained and shoved into one of the gate-rooms. Through the heavy portcullis you can hear the crowd muttering in anticipation. You can see a number of crude weapons laid out for selection. Any party member may take a single crude blade (Fighting +0). In addition, a single shield (Armour +2), and a maul (Fighting +1)* are here to be taken. Remember that the maul is a two handed weapon (because its name is followed by a ‘*’) and the party member wielding it cannot use a shield at the same time.
     All too soon the portcullis opens to a roar from the crowd. Blinking in the glare of the sun, you emerge into the deadly arena. Turn to 835.

Who gets the maul? Who gets the shield?

Name	Fighting	Survival	Stealth	Charisma	Lore	Health	Caster?
Sar Jessica Dayne	5	2	1	4	3	8/8	x
Lord Ti'quon	1	1	2	2	5	6/6	√
Tasha	3	3	5	3	1	8/8	x
Amelia Pass-Dayne	3	3	2	1	2	6/6	√

Codes: A2

[Beroli]

My votes: Jessica takes the maul. Tasha takes the shield. Everyone except Jessica takes a blade (or Jessica does too if she can carry a backup weapon).

[JourneymanN00b]

I also vote to give Jessica the maul, Tasha the shield, and crude blades to everyone who can take them.

[angelfromanotherpin]

835

There is an almost full crowd in the huge arena, with rich and poor alike rubbing shoulders on long wooden benches. On the sandy and bloodstained floor of the arena are a number of bones and skulls, artfully left to bleach in the sun. You can see that all ten gatehouses have opened, disgorging teams of poorly armed slaves. Some are fearless men and women from Chalice, who do not so much as flinch as the crowd roars for their blood. Bold barbarians of Lhasbreath hold their armsand weapons high as they seek endorsement from the bloody-minded crowd. Most of the ‘warriors’, however, look more like frightened peasants, mere fodder for the skilled warriors of the arena.
     Sitting high above the arena, upon a throne-like seat, is the Iron King himself, a black-bearded middle-aged man, his jagged iron crown sitting proudly on his skull. Next to him stands his bodyguard, the fearsome Malronac the Deathengine. The solid-metal golem was cast in the elder age of sorcery and has turned aside the blades of a dozen assassins. At a cold and distant motion from the king, the battle begins.
     One team of excitable youths from the gate adjacent to you make a sudden rush, hoping to catch you offguard. The crowd roar in joy – the bloodshed is about to begin. You must fight.

Opponent	Attack	Defense	Health
Slaves	4(5+)	3+	15
Leader	3(5+)	4+	5

     If you win, turn to 107.

Combat works as follows: Each party member takes turns rolling their Fighting value against their chosen target's defense DC, and each 'success' deals 1 damage to that target. Then, each opponent in order rolls their Attack value against their own attack DC, and any damage generated is applied to a party member of our choosing. Rinse and repeat until one side runs out of participants.

Armor works as follows: Before an attack's damage is applied to a character, they roll their Armor value against DC 4+, and each success prevents one damage. Armor only prevents combat damage. Enemies do not use this mechanic, they'll just have more health if they are for any reason harder to kill.

It's an unfortunately flat system, but it's the one we have.

Round 1:
     Sar Jessica attacks the Leader, 6d6 vs 4+: 2,2,2,3,1,4 = 1 damage, Leader at 4/5
     Tasha attacks the Leader, 3d6 vs 4+: 6,2,1 = 1 damage, Leader at 3/5
     Amelia attacks the Leader, 3d6 vs 4+: 6,6,3 = 2 damage, Leader at 1/5
     Ti'quon attacks the Leader, 1d6 vs 4+: 4 = 1 damage, the Leader goes down!
     Slaves attack, 3d6 vs 5+: 4,3,1 = 0 damage.

Round 2:
     Sar Jessica attacks the Slaves, 6d6 vs 3+: 4,3,1,2,5,5 = 4 damage, Slaves at 11/15
     Tasha attacks the Slaves, 3d6 vs 3+: 4,5,5 = 3 damage, Slaves at 8/15
     Amelia attacks the Slaves, 3d6 vs 3+: 5,5,4 = 3 damage, Slaves at 5/15
     Ti'quon attacks the Slaves, 1d6 vs 3+: 5 = 1 damage, Slaves at 4/15
     Slaves attack, 3d6 vs 5+: 5,2,1 = 1 damage, assigned to Tasha, Armor: 2,4 = 1 damage prevented.

Round 3:
     Sar Jessica attacks the Slaves, 6d6 vs 3+: 1,3,4,4,1,3 = 4 damage, Slaves are defeated!

That would have been more interesting if you could only have one person attack the Leader until the Slaves were defeated. Anyway, flawless victory!

107

     • If Sar Jessica Dayne is in your party, turn to 514.
     • If not, turn to 753.

514

The fighting is chaotic, and more slaves come to join the battle as the fight rages on. Sar Jessica is separated during the scrum. After slaying an opponent, she is suddenly bull-rushed to the ground by an enormous Lhasbreath barbarian, her weapon scattering from her grasp. The barbarian hefts his axe high above the helpless knight. You must rescue her! Choose another party member to come to her rescue. Once you have made your choice, turn to 485.

Who will attempt to save our doughty knightess?

Name	Fighting	Survival	Stealth	Charisma	Lore	Health	Caster?	Gear
Sar Jessica Dayne	5(6)	2	1	4	3	8/8	x	Maul* (Fighting +1)
Lord Ti'quon	1	1	2	2	5	6/6	√
Tasha	3	3	5	3	1	8/8	x	Shield (Armor +2)
Amelia Pass-Dayne	3	3	2	1	2	6/6	√

Codes: A2

[SGamerz]

How does Armour work in combat? Does direct combat work the same way as it does in Fabled Lands? A better understanding will help.

I actually think the maul should go to a secondary fighter like Tasha or Amelia. There may be times where they have to survive individual tests.

Ok, too late.

Was the book deliberately withholding information about combat until we've fought our first? I thought we should have been told the rules before we assign equipment.

And send Tasha to save her, since she's the second-best overall fighter (better armour, more health), and magic is apparently prohibited here.